Harmattan

People are filtering back to the city after being gone for Christmas and schools will be starting up again this week. So we were finally able to visit a couple of literacy classes, although lightly attended, it's given us a glimpse into what's currently going on. 

I was most impressed with the adults desire to learn to read and they appear to be doing very well!!  This class often has about 10 participants I understand. 

They are making progress on the "road" to the church near us, I think!  At least more of it is dug up this week than last week. So we took the alley way again past the laundry and goats.

We are also exploring the possibilities of PVC, Portal Video Conferencing to help facilitate training leaders and teachers in outlying areas. There are challenges of course, especially with internet and electricity. But it is being done in other programs of the church here when people can get to a church building. Just need to keep those generators handy. Even in our office building we get interrupted service each week.

Another class that we attended during the week one night (no picture) was especially neat. The teacher, Eric was awesome and there was such a good feeling there. One lady came in a bit late, with her baby wrapped to her back, she probably walked. When she let her toddler down he came right over and reached up to me to be picked up. It made my day I have to say. I entertained him as best I could with my magnet badge and anything else I could find in my purse while she learned. 

At the end of their class they asked if we wanted to share anything, and acted like it was such an honor that we came to visit. We felt honored to be there with them. I had been inspired to look up a scripture one night, shortly after we arrived and felt to share it with them as it applies as much to them as it does to Chuck and me.  

Doctrine and Covenants 64: 33  "Wherefore, be not weary in well-doing, for ye are laying the foundation of a great work. And out of small things proceedeth that which is great."

I hope they are catching even a glimpse of the "great work" they are doing by taking this step to be literate. 

So, now on to the weather. We arrived during "harmattan," and we hear some years it can be pretty bad. The Harmattan is a season in the West African subcontinent which occurs between the end of November and the middle of March. It is characterized by dry and dusty northearterly trade wind of the same name, which blows from the Sahara Desert over West Africa into the Gulf of Guinea.

It is just hazy outside, kind of like the smoke haze with the fires this summer in Washington. But the car says otherwise. It missed a week getting washed when we weren't sure if we would be keeping it. They replaced the battery and it will get washed again this week by the gardener who has a side job washing the cars in the apartment parking lot. Wish we could bring him home.

The pictures all look a bit blurry, it's just the sandy haze not our lousy photography! Not really a problem here this year so far. It's worse inland I understand as we get a bit of off shore breeze to blow it away. And hey, it cuts down on sun exposure so less need for sunscreen. 

We're getting the hang of shopping here. People are very creative at selling whatever they have to sell.

You will see lots of containers usually used for shipping, set up as shops. We are learning where to get all the various items that simple living missionaries still seem to need to buy.

Do yourself and a loved one a favor tonight, snuggle up and read a good book together. It will be a blessing for both of you.

Reassignment and First Impressions

Our long prepared for and much anticipated day arrived, Dec. 4th, when Alex, our youngest along with our son-in-law Darren, delivered us to the MTC (Mission Training Center) in Provo, UT where we spent a packed and inspiring week. (I'm happy, really!!)

 We had quite a surprise on the second day when we were called into the office and received a mission reassignment from the Ghana West Mission to the Africa West Area which includes 17 countries and 15 missions in West Africa.

The light tan countries are ones that do not have missions in them but are in our area.

We learned more about this assignment the next week in Salt Lake where we had additional training and were able to Skype with our SRS, Self-Reliance Services Area Manager who said we would be involved with Literacy in the Africa West area, traveling to Sierra Leone, Liberia, Nigeria and Ghana and reporting to the area presidency. We will have an apartment in Accra, Ghana.

This has been quite overwhelming and we will have much to learn. At the same time we recognize the blessings of health and resources which enable us to accept this assignment. It is not by chance that things have come together for us the way they have, despite the challenges.

So we left cold Salt Lake City, giving Sarah's warm down coat back to her at the airport, and donning sandals and short sleeves flew to Accra, Ghana.

First Impressions

First stop, we were taken to our apartment in Accra. And for those of you who have been feeling sorry for us going to Africa, feel sorry no more. (From our balcony, and yes, that's a swimming pool you see!) It was nicer than I had ever imagined. Also, I've heard that missions can be good for a marriage. I figured this 24-7 stuff could make or break it. I've realized that I'm glad to have this mission companion after all. 

We will be given a vehicle to drive while here and have decided our theme song will be "Stayin alive, staying alive, ah, ah, ah, ah stayin alive."  (We watched two motorcycles with multiple people crash into each other right before our eyes today, no casualties, no children thankfully!!)  We are going to ask for a vehicle that already has dents. And when the rainy season comes and fills the ditches with water so you can't see them, I have made myself a promise to REMEMBER that the ditches are still there!!

We are in the tropics and I am no longer cold. Most of the other "obrunis," (whites) are hot and fanning themselves and I am warm and loving it actually. The lovely church building where we met today has natural ventilation with louvered windows and lots of fans on the ceiling, very pleasant and all year round!!  Sweet!!

All poverty is not the same. I was surprised at the lack of alcoholism and smoking here. And then someone explained that they can't afford it. There isn't government assistance here. When they are asking for a handout, it's about enough food to make it through the day. And they are always so grateful for any help they get, and thank you with a smile. I don't notice a sense of entitlement like we have in America, just my observations. 

There is a 70% unemployment rate here, but you see them working to do anything they can, not a lot of people laying around on the streets. You can buy practically anything right out your car window as they walk the streets selling to people in their cars as you pull up to the lights. We bought plantain chips and laundry detergent (they have better prices I am told.) And you even see women carrying their children as they work, wrapped snug against their bodies. And all that while carrying their wares on the top of their heads!! 

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My last impressions have to do with the people themselves. I find them friendly, kind, humble, spiritual, bright and beautiful people. And oh how I wish you could hear them sing!!  I have never heard the gospel hymns sung like this before, not even by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, wonderful as they are. "I stand all amazed at the love Jesus offers me" and "I believe in Christ" and Christmas songs as well.  They like to sing lots of songs!  And so as the lovely breezes washed across my skin on the outside, the spirit in that building washed across my soul and I couldn't hold back the tears. "Oh, it is wonderful, wonderful to me!!" 

Until next week, now it's time to get to work!